Pneumatic operating unit for compressed-air brakes

ABSTRACT

The invention relates to a pneumatic operating unit for compressed-air brakes, having a housing, having at least one piston, having at least one piston rod, having at least one valve body, having at least one valve seat, that housing having at least one exterior compressed-air connection device. The invention is characterized by the following characteristics:  
     The operating unit comprises at least one cylinder body,  
     the cylinder body is fitted into the housing,  
     the cylinder body is designed such that it can accommodate at least one piston or comprises at least one valve seat are can accommodate such a valve seat and simultaneously can accommodate at least one valve body,  
     the cylinder body has at least one transverse connection from its interior to its surface,  
     in the axial direction, the cylinder body is sealed off between two transverse directions with respect to the housing, so that the transverse directions are sealed off with respect to one another,  
     the housing has at least one air-carrying connection from the transverse connection of the cylinder body to the exterior connection device

[0001] The invention relates to a pneumatic operating unit for compressed-air brakes according to the preamble of Claim 1.

[0002] Pneumatic operating units for compressed-air brakes, particularly of rail vehicles, are systems which are connected with their operating spaces and have the object of controlling or regulating the pressure in these operating spaces or of connecting the operating spaces with one another or of separating them from one another or of influencing the compressed-air flow by way of the connection.

[0003] For this purpose, they contain valves which open and close the air paths to the operating spaces. These valves are moved by pistons which are loaded by pressures or pressure springs, so that an opening of valves will occur when the forces at the pistons are not in balance. The mentioned components are installed in housings which have connections to the operating spaces.

[0004] Particularly in the case of indirectly operating compressed-air brakes for trains, operating units with non-linear functions are known which are called control valves. They consist of a plurality of valves and pistons which influence one another and control the interaction of several operating spaces.

[0005] Since, corresponding to their object, the operating units may contain a varying number of pistons and valves in one operating unit, they differ from one another with respect to their construction. The housings of the known control valves are therefore spatial formations into which the valves, pistons, pressure springs and other components are installed from several sides.

[0006] This results in the disadvantage that the housings are complicated and special castings. The valves and pistons to be installed are also special constructions with a low degree of standardization. The possibility of reacting to changing demands by means of these elements is low. Furthermore, there is the disadvantage that the mounting of the conventionally constructed control valves requires high expenditures because a plurality of air-tight screwed and pressed connections has to be established. An additional disadvantage is the heavy weight and the large space requirement.

[0007] It is an object of the invention to provide a pneumatic operating unit which, because of its simple construction, on the one hand, permits a lower-cost mounting technique and, on the other hand, as a result of a modular construction, also in the case of a different volume of structural components, permits the use of as many identical or similar parts as possible.

[0008] According to the invention, this object is achieved by means of the characteristics of main Claim 1. The dependent claims describe particularly advantageous embodiments.

[0009] The invention provides the construction of an originally complicated three-dimensional formation in a now simple axial form and without unnecessary air-tight screwed and pressed connections.

[0010] According to the invention, the pneumatic operating unit comprises a housing with at least one outer compressed-air connection device. At least one piston, a piston rod, a valve body and a valve seat are arranged in the housing. The invention is based on the idea of fitting one or several cylinder bodies into the housing. In this case, the cylinder body may have different types of constructions, so that it can accommodate either a piston with the pertaining piston rod or is designed such that a valve body can be guided in it. In this case, the cylinder body may be designed such that, as a result of its shape, it directly forms a valve seat, or a valve seat may be separately inserted in it.

[0011] In order to connect the operating space in a cylinder body with the outer compressed-air connection device, one or several transverse connections from its interior to its surface are constructed in the cylinder body. These transverse connections are connected by way of air-carrying connections in the housing with the respective outer connection device. The connection of various transverse connections with one another by means of air-carrying connections in the housing is also conceivable.

[0012] In order to be able to construct different pressure stages in the individual operating chambers of the pneumatic operating unit, it is required that the operating unit be designed such that the transverse connections are mutually sealed off in the axial direction. This is particularly advantageously achieved by a surrounding sealing device at the extreme ends of the cylinder bodies, which sealing device seals off the cylinder bodies with respect to the housing.

[0013] When, in a special embodiment of the invention, the outer operating space of the outer cylinder body is to have a pressure difference with respect to the environment, here also, a sealing-off is required with respect to the environment. This advantageously takes place by means of an end body, such as a cover plate, which is arranged on the outer face of the cylinder bodies situated on the outside in the housing. Particularly advantageously, the end body is sealed off with respect to the outer cylinder body. In a further development of the invention, the respective outer cylinder body is sealed off in the area of the extreme axial end with respect to the housing, so that the transverse connection of the outer cylinder body is sealed off with respect to the environment. The sealing-off of the cover plate with respect to the cylinder body and the sealing-off of the cylinder body with respect to the housing can particularly advantageously be implemented by a single surrounding sealing device.

[0014] In a particularly advantageous embodiment of the invention, the housing has a rectangular cross-section. In the housing, an axial center bore is advantageously constructed into which the cylinder body or bodies is/are fitted. This embodiment is particularly manufacturing- and assembly-friendly.

[0015] By means of the construction of the pneumatic operating unit according to the invention, an arbitrary number of different or identical structural components in the form of cylinder bodies comprising a piston and a piston rod, or cylinder bodies comprising a valve can now very easily be inserted in the housing. As a result of a corresponding placing of the air connections in the housing between the outer connection devices and the transverse connections of the cylinder bodies or between various transverse connections, the operating spaces of the cylinder bodies can easily be provided with the desired compressed air.

[0016] Since, in addition, the cylinder bodies have a similar construction despite having different functions, a cost-effective manufacturing is possible. As a result of the modular construction, the mounting of the operating units can easily be implemented and the assembly times are shortened in comparison to known constructions.

[0017] In the following the invention will be explained in detail by means of embodiment and the attached drawings.

[0018]FIG. 1 is a view of a pneumatic operating unit according to the invention;

[0019]FIG. 2 is an axial sectional view of a pneumatic operating unit according to the invention for controlling a non-linear relationship between six pressures.

[0020]FIG. 1 illustrates a pneumatic operating unit according to the invention for compressed-air brakes. An axial sectional view and a top view of the operating unit are provided.

[0021] The operating unit comprises a housing 1, two cylinder bodies 10, a piston 3 with a piston rod 12 in the first cylinder body and a valve body 4 in the second cylinder body. The second cylinder body is constructed such that it forms a valve seat 5. On each side of the piston 3, the first cylinder body has two transverse connections. The second cylinder body also has two transverse connections 9. All transverse connections 9 are connected by way of connections 8 in the housing 1 with outer connection devices 11. One cover plate 6 respectively is arranged at the extreme ends of the cylinder bodies 10. Between the two cylinder bodies 10 and between the cylinder bodies 10 and the cover plates 6, the cylinder bodies 10 are sealed off in a surrounding manner with respect to the exterior housing 1, so that the transverse connections 9 are sealed off with respect to one another and with respect to the environment, and the spaces enclosed by the cylinder bodies 10 and cover plates 6 are sealed off with respect to the environment.

[0022] The valve in the second cylinder body with the valve seat 5 and the valve body 4 is constructed as a tappet valve. The valve body 4 is sealed off by means of a sealing device 2 with respect to the valve seat 5. In the closing direction, the valve body 4 is loaded by means of a pressure spring 13 and, in the opening direction, it is loaded by means of the piston rod 12.

[0023]FIG. 2 shows a pneumatic operating unit according to the invention which controls a non-linear relationship between six pressures ST, CVK, RVD, LK, AS and R. Corresponding components are indicated by the same reference numbers as in FIG. 1. On the whole, nine cylinder bodies 10, two pistons 3 with piston rods 12 and four valve seats 5 with pressure springs 13 are installed in a housing 1. The transverse connections 9 lead into air-carrying connections in the housing which are not shown here.

[0024] It is shown that the above-mentioned parts a slid into the housing during the assembly in the corresponding sequence, and are fixed and caused to be sealed off only by the cover plates, which has the following advantages:

[0025] 1. The slid-in parts are turned parts which can be easily manufactured.

[0026] 2. The size is considerably reduced by means of the axial arrangement.

[0027] 3. The assembling time can be considerably shortened in comparison to the three-dimensional arrangement.

[0028] According to the invention, it is, for the first time, possible to construct a pneumatic operating unit in a very simple modular shape and thereby save production and assembly costs particularly in comparison to the previously known three-dimensional formations.

List of Reference Numbers

[0029]1 housing

[0030]2 sealing device

[0031]3 piston

[0032]4 valve body

[0033]5 valve seat

[0034]6 cover plate

[0035]7 sealing device

[0036]8 air-carrying connection in the housing

[0037]9 transverse connection in the cylinder body

[0038]10 cylinder body

[0039]11 exterior connection device

[0040]12 piston rod

[0041]13 pressure spring 

1. Pneumatic operating unit for compressed-air brakes, 1.1 having a housing (1), 1.2 having at least one piston (3), 1.3 having at least one piston rod (12), 1.4 having at least one valve body (4), 1.5 having at least one valve seat (5), 1.6 the housing (1) having at least one exterior compressed-air connection device (11), characterized in that 1.7 the operating unit comprises at least one cylinder body (10), 1.8 the cylinder body (10) is fitted into the housing 1.9 the cylinder body (10) is designed such that it can accommodate at least one piston (3) or comprises at least one valve seat (5) or can accommodate the latter and simultaneously can accommodate at least one valve body (4), 1.10 the cylinder body (10) has at least one transverse connection (9) from its interior to its surface, 1.11 the cylinder body (10) is sealed off in the axial direction between two transverse connections (9) with respect to the housing (1), so that the transverse connections are sealed off with respect to one another, 1.12 the housing (1) has at least one air-guiding connection (8) from the transverse connection (9) of the cylinder body (10) to the exterior connection device (11).
 2. System according to claim 1, characterized in that the housing (1) has at least one air-carrying connection (8) between two transverse connections (9) of the cylinder body (10).
 3. System according to one of claims 1 to 2, characterized in that an end body, particularly a cover plate (6), is arranged on the exterior face of the cylinder bodies (10) situated on the outside in the housing (1).
 4. System according to claim 3, characterized in that the end body, particularly the cover plate (6), is sealed off with respect to the outer cylinder body (10).
 5. System according to one of claims 1 to 4, characterized in that the respective outer cylinder body (10) in the area of the outer axial end is sealed off with respect to the housing (1), so that the transverse connections (9) are sealed off with respect to the environment.
 6. System according to one of claims 1 to 5, characterized in that the housing (1) has a rectangular cross-section, and the cylinder body (10) is fitted into an axial center bore of the housing (1).
 7. System according to one of claims 1 to 6, characterized in that two cylinder bodies (10) are fitted into the housing (1), 7.1 a piston (3) with a piston rod (12) is fitted into the first cylinder body, 7.2 the second cylinder body comprises a valve seat (5), 7.3 a valve body (4) is connected into the second cylinder body, 7.4 on each side of the piston (3), the first cylinder body has at least one transverse connection (9) which is connected by way of an air-carrying connection (8) in the housing (1) with an exterior connection device (11), 7.5 the second cylinder body has at least one transverse connection (9) which is connected by way of an air-carrying connection (8) in the housing (1) with an exterior connection device (11), 7.6 one cover plate (6) respectively is arranged at the extreme end of the cylinder bodies (10), 7.7 between the two cylinder bodies (10) and between the cylinder bodies (10) and the cover plates (6), the cylinder bodies are sealed off in a surrounding manner with respect to the exterior housing (1), so that the transverse connections (9) are sealed off with respect to one another and with respect to the environment, and the spaces enclosed by the cylinder bodies (10) and cover plates (6) are sealed off with respect to the environment.
 8. System according to claim 7, characterized in that the valve seat (5) and the valve body (4) represent a tappet valve, 8.1 the valve body (4) is sealed off by means of a sealing device (2) with respect to the valve seat (5), 8.2 in the closing direction, the valve body (4) is loaded by means of a pressure spring (13), 8.3 in the opening direction, the valve body (4) is loaded by the piston rod (12). 